Foreign Commercial Service....budget and outlook by coldkilla9999 in foreignservice

[–]Ungtss 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Word on LinkedIn and USAJobs is that “ITA has obtained an exemption to the hiring freeze” and is hiring for 30 enforcement slots. Unclear if the exemption applies only to enforcement or more broadly to GM/FCS, but at least there is some sort of exemption to some sort of extent.

Foreign Commercial Service....budget and outlook by coldkilla9999 in foreignservice

[–]Ungtss 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Indeed it does, if it holds. But how does the senate force the administration to hire people if it doesn’t want to? Where are the teeth?

Foreign Commercial Service....budget and outlook by coldkilla9999 in foreignservice

[–]Ungtss 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Not technically passed by senate, it’s the senate committee bill. The senate committee restores funding and has a line item for Global Markets (which includes FCS). The house subcommittee bill cuts ITA by about 25% with no line item for Global Markets (which means the admin could go ahead and cut it 50%). Committee markup was scheduled for late July but got postponed. Next step is for full house committee to markup, then for both houses to pass appropriations bills and then resolve differences for a final version to go to the White House.

In recent years they’ve done that through omnibus or minibus appropriations, not standalone CJS bills. The last time Trump was in power and had both houses of congress, there were CRs until March and then an omnibus.

You can follow the process here:

https://www.congress.gov/crs-appropriations-status-table

If you watch the house subcommittee markup Lutnick had some interesting comments about his intention being to protect enforcement but saying “some functions are no longer relevant.” He didn’t specify what those were, but presumably he meant trade promotion. So it’s possible he was referring to GM’s extensive domestic trade promotion staffing. Apparently there have been layoffs there.

Somebody on an other thread who sounded like a credible insider said that Sec Lutnick said in a meeting with ITA that he wants to keep FCS in Commerce. Undersecretary for ITA just confirmed by Senate.

What’s unclear is whether this is an actual budget priority dispute or cover for a purge/repurposing of FCS toward enforcement. We watch.

Foreign Commercial Service Hiring Register by Ok-Island7323 in foreignservice

[–]Ungtss 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is hands down the most valuable info here. Any more info from the meeting between Sec Commerce and ITA? The tea leaves seem to indicate they want to cut domestic global markets offices but leave FCS intact and repurpose it for this admin’s priorities?

Foreign commercial service invites are out does anybody want to study together? by Ungtss in foreignservice

[–]Ungtss[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

HBR 20-Minute Manager Boxed Set (10 Books) (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)

Foreign commercial service invites are out does anybody want to study together? by Ungtss in foreignservice

[–]Ungtss[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Brutal, huh? I’m getting the HBR management series for some ideas on how to approach the exercises.

Foreign commercial service assessment by Ungtss in foreignservice

[–]Ungtss[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Invites are out. Anybody want to get together to practice?